Fireplace hood and trim structure

ABSTRACT

THE HOOD AND TRIM STRUCTURE IS USED IN CONJUCTION WITH PREFABRICATED METAL FIREPLACES INSTALLED IN BUILDING WALLS. THE TRIM STRUCTURE INCLUDES A TRIM STRIP DETACHABLY MOUNTED ALONG THE OUTER EDGE OF EACH SIDE COLUMN OF THE FIRELACE AND OVERLAPS THE SPACES BETWEEN THE SIDES OF THE FIREPLACE AND THE SIDES OF THE WALL OPENING. THESE STRIPS ARE CONVENIENTLY ADJUSTABLE VERTICALLY TO ACCOMODATE HEARTH EXTENSIONS OF DIFFERENT THICKNESSES. THE HOOD OVERLIES THE HEADER OF THE FIREPLACE AND THE TOP OF THE HOOD IS CAMMED TIGHTLY AGAINST THE WALL SURFACE BY LOCKING BARS WHICH MAY BE CONVENIENTLY MOVED DOWNWARDLY TO UNLOCKING POSITION TO PERMIT OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE HOOD FOR REMOVAL WHEN A LINTEL, OR A MANTEL, IS ERECTED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE HOOD. MEANS IS PROVIDED FOR ATTACHING THE ENDS OF THE HOOD TO THE VERTICAL TRIM STRIPS REGARDLESS OF THE VERTICAL POSITION TO WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED.

p .1971 G. M. ANDREWS FIREPLACE HOOD AND TRIM STRUCTURE 3 Shoots-Sh0ut 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1969 INVENTOR. EEEIRGE M. ANDREWS WW ATTORNEX Sept. 20, 1971 ANDREWS 3,605,719

FIREPLACE HOOD AND TRIM STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 2, 1969 2 Sheets-Shout; 2'.

INVIENTOR. GEORGE M. ANDREWS ZQMW.

ATTORNEY United States Patent. 01 fice 3,605,719 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,719 FIREPLACE HOOD AND TRIM STRUCTURE George M. Andrews, Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Vega Industries, Inc., Syracuse, N.Y. Filed Oct. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 863,110

' Int. Cl. F24c 15/06 US. Cl. 126-139 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The hood and trim structure is used in conjunction with prefabricated metal fireplaces installed in building walls. The trim structure includes a trim strip detachably mounted along the outer edge of each side column of the fireplace and overlaps the spaces between the sides of the fireplace and the sides of the wall opening. These strips are conveniently adjustable vertically to accommodate hearth extensions of different thicknesses. The hood overlies the header of the fireplace and the top of the hood is cammed tightly against the wall surface by locking bars which may be conveniently moved downwardly to unlocking position to permit outward movement of the hood for removal when a lintel, or a mantel, is erected directly above the hood. Means is provided for attaching the ends of the hood to the vertical trim strips regardless of the vertical position to which they have been adjusted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prefabricated metal fireplaces, adapted for installation in Wall structures, have become increasingly popular especially because of the great expense involved in masonry fireplaces. It is desirable to provide such installed fireplaces with a trim structure to enhance the appearance of the fireplace, particularly in covering up the space between the sides and top of the fireplace and the wall opening. Trim structures now available embody a complicated arrangement and are not readily installed on fireplaces of different dimensions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hood and trim structure embodying my invention consists mainly of components formed of sheet metal. Trim strips are detachably mounted on the side columns of the fireplace and extend over the space between the columns and the edges of the wall opening. A hood extends across the fireplace header. Like the trim strips, the hood is quickly and conveniently secured to the fireplace by use of only a screwdriver. The trim strips are adjustable vertically to accommodate hearth extensions of different thicknesses. The hood is detachably secured to the fireplace header by locking bars which are adjustable vertically. The arrangement permits the hood to be installed, or removed, where a lintel, or mantel, is built in the wall structure at the top of the fireplace.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fireplace provided with the hood and trim structure of my invention, a portion of the hood being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on a line corresponding to line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line corresponding to line 33, FIG. 2'.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The fireplace illustrated is of conventional form, fabricated from sheet metal and including inner and outer shells formed of sheet metal with both insulation and air circulating space between the shells. The side walls 10, and the rear Wall 11 of the inner shell, are lined with refractory, and the hearth 13 is also of refractory. The fireplace structure includes vertically extending side columns 14 arranged at each side of the fireplace opening, and a header 15 extends transversely across the upper ends of the columns 14.

The fireplace is installed in an opening in the building wall 20. The front face sides of the columns 14 and header 15 are flush, or coplanar, with the outer finished wall surface 21. There is a space 22 between the columns 14 and the wall 20. A trim strip is detachably secured to each of the columns 14 overlying the space 22 between the wall opening and the columns. As will be apparent, the trim strips may embody various configurations. In the form illustrated, each trim strip is formed with a flat por tion 23 positioned against the face side of the column, and with a flange 25 extending forwardly and merging with a rearwardly extending flange 30 abutting against the wall 20. This rearwardly extending flange includes a portion 27 inclining rearwardly and laterally from the flange 25 and merging with the flat portion 30. This trim strip is provided with vertically disposed elongated slots 33 to receive screws 35 threading into the face of the column 14. With this arrangement, the trim strip may be adjusted vertically to accommodate different thicknesses of hearth extension 40.

The hood is formed with a top wall 41 merging along its front edge with a downwardly, and forwardly, inclined front wall 43 which, in turn, merges with a vertically disposed lower portion 45. The hood is provided with end walls 47. The hood is also formed with a rear Wall 49 which inclines downwardly and rearwardly from the top wall 41. The top of the rear wall engages the top wall 41 in outwardly spaced relation to the rear edge of the top wall, see FIG. 2.

The hood is mounted on the fireplace structure by a pair of lock bars 51. The upper portions of these lock bars are slidably mounted in guide clips 53 fixedly secured to the header 15. Each lock bar is formed with an elongated slot 55 to receive a screw 56 threaded into the upper portion of the column 14. The lock bars 51 are formed of sheet metal and at their upper ends are bent outwardly, as at 58. The hood is placed against the building wall and moved downwardly to move the rear wall 49 of the hood between the upper ends of the lock bars 51 and the wall structure. Upon downward movement of the hood, the lock bars 51 serve, in conjunction with the inclined rear wall 49, to urge the rear edge of the top wall 41 of the hood tightly against the wall 20, this engagement being somewhat above the opening in which the fireplace is mounted.

The hood is further secured in place by brackets 60 fixedly attached, as by welding, to the inner surfaces of the end walls 47. These brackets are of Z formation, with an inner flange 61 overlying the flange 25 of the trim strip. This flange 61 is provided with a vertically extending elongated slot 63 to receive a screw 64 threading into one of a vertical series of apertures 65 formed in the flange 25 of the trim strip. With this arrangement, regardless of the vertical adjusted position of the trim strip 25, the brackets 60 are fixedly attached thereto, affording additional support for the hood.

The flanges 25 of the trim strips are formed at their upper ends with apertures to receive the outer ends of screen supporting rods 70. An L-shaped bracket 71 is attached to the header 15 at the center thereof by screws 73 threaded into selected ones of a vertical row of holes 75 provided in the header. A bar 77 is fixed to the horizontal leg of the bracket 71 which extends forwardly from the header. The bar 77 is fixed to the bracket in angular relation to the face of the header 15. The ends of the bar are of U-shaped formation. The inner legs 80 of these formations are apertured to receive the inner ends of the screen supporting rods 70. These inner ends of the rods abut against the outer legs 81. Accordingly, the rods 70 are restrained against axial movement in a direction toward the center of the header, and are restrained against axial movement in the opposite direction by the outer ends of the rods abutting against the flanges 3-0 of the trim strip. The upper edges of the screen 83 are threaded on the rods 70 for sliding movement therealong to open and closed positions. The threaded apertures 75 permit vertical adjustment of the rod supporting bar 77 comparable to the vertical adjustment of the trim strips.

The hood and trim strips can be installed before, or after, the wall is completely finished, as by painting, or the like. Due to the extreme ease that the hood and trim structure is attached to the fireplace, it is preferable to do so after the wall surface is completely finished, as it avoids the hazard of the trim structure being damaged, or defaced, while construction work is being carried on in the room.

The hood may be installed if a lintel, or mantel, is built into the wall structure above the fireplace opening, as indicated at 87, FIG. 2. The hood is positioned against the wall surface under the lintel, or mantel, and the lock bars 51 are moved upwardly, carnming the hood against the Wall surface. In like manner, the hood may be conveniently removed outwardly from the Wall surface when the lock bars are moved downwardly to position the upper ends 58 thereof below the lower edge of the rear hood wall 49.

What I claim is:

1. A hood and trim structure for a metal fireplace unit adapted for flush installation in a fireplace opening in a building Wall said structure including vertical side columns and a header extending across the upper ends of said columns, the outer surface of said columns and header being adapted for coplanar mounting with the surface of the building wall in which the structure is installed, said hood and trim structure comprising a vertically disposed trim strip attached to each of said columns adjacent the outer edge thereof and extending laterally and terminating in the plane of the outer surface of the columns and beyond the columns so as to overlie the marginal Wall surface about the wall opening, a hood overlying said header, said hood being formed with front and end walls having their lower edges terminating below the upper ends of said trim strips, and means detachably securing said hood to said trim strips.

2. A hood and trim structure as set forth in claim 1, and including means carried by said header and operable to detachably secure said hood thereto.

3. A hood and trim structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trim strips are vertically adjustable on said columns, and means for detachably securing the trim strips to said columns.

4. A hood and trim structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said trim strips is formed with a forwardly extending flange, the flanges of said trim strips being formed with apertures to receive the end portions of a screen supporting rod assembly.

5. A hood and trim structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trim strips are formed with vertically extending slots and screws extending through said slots and threading into said columns for attaching said trim strips thereto.

6. A fireplace hood and trim structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper end portions of said trim strips are formed with a vertical series of apertures, a bracket attached to each end wall of said hood and fastening means extending through said brackets and threading into selected ones of said apertures.

7. Fireplace trim members for attachment to the right and left metal side columns and header of a fireplace opening, comprising right and left side trim strips adapted for vertical mounting on the respective side columns, each strip having a lengthwise flat attachment portion with a lateral forward extending flange and rearwardly extending flange including a rearwardly inclining portion integrally connecting with said forwardly extending flange and a rearwardly extending planar portion parallel with and spaced from said forward extending flange, and a transverse hood having end members wider than said forwardly extending flanges bearing against the upper ends of the respective rearwardly extending planar portions of the trim strips, and being connected to the upper ends of the forward extending flanges by Z members secured to the inside faces of the hood end members, and bolted to the inside faces of the last named flanges, said Z members being disposed in a hidden from sight manner within the hood.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,457,907 7/1969 Brunig l26l40 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,632 3/1941 Great Britain 126l38 685,704 1/1953 Great Britain l26120 771,078 3/1957 Great Britain 126139 CHARLES J. MYHRE, Primary Examiner 

